Les Copains lyonnais

The day has finally arrived.  We had planned a lunch based on the cuisine from Lyon, since I kept talking about my love for andouillette and wanted to go to Chez Les Copains.  So the simple hunt for a sausage turned into a special affair involving a whole group of foodies (and a couple of winos).

Our amuse bouche was fried duck crackling.  Kinda like pork rinds, except smaller pieces and less puffy.

Grenouille à la Robuchon - these were simply sublime... frog legs encased in panko and deep-fried, served with both parsley and sweet garlic purée.  I took the first one in two bites, then proceeded to scoop up the remaining sauce in the bowl with my finger.  When the second one came, I didn't hesitate and finished it in one bite.

Quenelle de brochet - the quenelles made from pike were nice and soft.  Served with sauce nantua with just a sprinkle of paprika.  Absolutely lovely.  The last time I had something served with sauce nantua was at Le Train Bleu in Paris, which also serves Lyonnaise cuisine, of course.

Tête de cochon - wow... this was just awesome.  I looooove head cheese, and this particular version left me speechless.  The sight of the male elf holding the roll was just beautiful.  It was absolutely delicious as a cold cut, and I couldn't resist having a few more pieces.

The majority of this was pan-fried and served with pickled relish.  I know the acidity of the relish was supposed to help balance out the fat and greasy taste, but that's exactly what I love!  On the side of the dish we had pig brains pan-fried and served on toast.  Very creamy.

Andouillette, andouille, and sweetbreads - this was what I came for... the 5A andouillette, pan-fried and cut open to reveal that wonderfully pungent smell of pig intestines.  No mustard for me, thank you very much.  Nothing should distract me from the original flavors.  The andouille was also interesting, as it was heavily smoked and was served in thin slices.  Sweetbreads were good but nothing compared to the sausages.

I was reasonably full, but there were desserts coming.  First up was tarte bourdaloue, that yummy pear tart.  Very, very yummy, and I couldn't resist having 3 slices...  Wonderful.  Baked in honor of the resident Froggie.  Wish I had room in my stomach for more.

Bugnes lyonnaises - simply deep-fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Kinda like a funnel cake, and similar to 麻花 in Chinese cuisine.

This being a weekend lunch and all, of course there was going to be wine!

1988 Jacquesson (disgorged July 2006) - woody, toasty nose with honey, lemon citrus, smoky notes with a hint of straw.  Kind of sweet on the palate, which is surprising given there was no dosage added.  Brought by a friend.

2004 Kongsgaard VioRus - I was a little worried when I pulled the cork, because the cork was a little musty and, well, I was afraid that the wine would be corked.  But the wine turned out to be fine.  Lots of honey and apricot, with some minerals and metallic notes.  Sweet on the palate with the slightest hint of tartness on the finish.  The wine has been aged for a few years, so the fresh, floral scents one normally gets from Viognier is gone.  But I love aged white wines for their oxidized nose, and especially this one for the sweetness.

2006 Bernard Morey Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes - I started drinking this about 2 hours after pulling the cork, and initially was very disappointed.  I thought I had breathed it a little too long and the wine was flat.  I ended up dunking it in the ice bucket for a while to cool it down, and sure enough, there was significant improvement.  Sweet nose of strawberries and minerals.  Still a little tannic on the palate.

It took us three hours to finish this very enjoyable lunch.  My thanks to Bonnie for the hospitality, and of course thanks to the elves for cooking this wonderful meal for us!  Finally, andouillette in Hong Kong!